Your value isn’t measured by visibility
Have you ever sat in a meeting, shared an idea, and watched it land with the quietest thud imaginable? No reaction. No acknowledgment. And then—ten minutes later—someone repeats the exact same thing and suddenly it’s “brilliant”?
Yeah. Fun times.
It’s easy to assume moments like these mean you’re not valued, not respected, or not seen as a leader yet. But here’s the quieter truth no one teaches early in our careers:
Being ignored doesn’t mean you’re not valuable. It often means people haven’t learned to associate you with influence—yet.
That distinction matters.
Because a lot of high-potential professionals internalize silence as a verdict. They pull back, speak less, overthink more, and unintentionally shrink their presence. But visibility isn’t just about being heard. It’s about being recognized.
The good news is that recognition is a skill you can build.
A few mindset shifts that help:
1. Silence isn’t a signal of your worth.
It’s a signal of the current dynamics in the room: power, habit, familiarity, bias, or simple inattention. All of these are changeable.
2. Influence grows through consistency, not one-off moments.
People start listening when they’ve seen you show up with clarity, usefulness, and follow-through enough times that it becomes your “brand.”
3. Your ideas need self advocacy.
If someone repeats your idea, try: “I’m glad that resonated. What I was suggesting earlier builds exactly on that…”
You’re not credit-grabbing. You’re reinforcing attribution.
4. Visibility happens in layers.
Meetings are just one channel. Your written updates, stakeholder touchpoints, problem-solving presence, and cross-team conversations matter just as much, sometimes more.
If today felt like your voice got lost in the noise, don’t default to self-doubt. Focus on strategy instead.
Your value isn’t up for debate. Your visibility, however, is absolutely within your control.
Where might you take up just one inch more space this week…on purpose?
Hit reply and tell me. I’d love to hear.
Until next time…
Mal
Founder, The Ideas Accelerator
Helping you grow your career with strategic insight and smarter tools.